


I'll Make A Man Out Of You

by youknowmyname



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mulan (1998) Fusion, Babe is the third wheel, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Considerable choices, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eugene Roe Needs A Hug, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Horrors of War, Out of Character, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Semi-canon divergence, Slow Burn, Tags to be added, What Was I Thinking?, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27521755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youknowmyname/pseuds/youknowmyname
Summary: To save your ailing brother from the war, you disguise yourself as a man to fight in the war. There you met Eugene Roe, a Cajun medic. The two of you grow close to each other, but at what cost? A story of bravery, the harshness of war, bravery, friendship, and love.
Relationships: Eugene Roe/Original Female Character(s), Eugene Roe/Reader, Eugene Roe/You
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I do NOT know how the hell I wrote this and how it turned out this long. What started as a dream escalated into a google doc of 10k words. I apologize in advance; this is my first BoB fic and not beta-read. I decided to show some good old love for my Eugene boy by not doing my schoolwork and writing this mess. I hope to finish this fic by the end of the year (or month even). The other chapters won't be as long, but I'll try and update. This will also be posted on my tumblr infinitegalahad as well! Enjoy! ;)

_ It all started with a damned flyer.  _

_ Your thumb played with the scrunched edge. In bolded blue and the red letters it read,  _

_ "I want YOU for The U.S. Army. Enlist NOW!"  _

_ Uncle Sam, an American figure, pointed in your face. A small smile appeared on your face as it reminded you of your twin brother, Jack.  _

\-----

_ You'll never forget the day of December 7th. Your mother had woken you and your brother up. Pearl Harbor had just been bombed. Even when the world felt like it was falling apart, your parents sent you to school. Jack and his friends wouldn't shut up about it. Every class you had, whether it was physics or Algebra two, talked about the bombings. America didn't intervene in the war with Europe. One of the girls in your Algebra class Nancy, was talking with her clique.  _

_ "There's no way they can do it!" A girl cried, "They can't send our men over!" _

_ Nancy twirled a pencil in her fingers, "They can! The Japs declared war on us. My brothers are too young, but I'm sure my dad's gonna enlist. Every man has gotta do so."  _

_ Nancy had a point. It was so bizarre to you that the war had come to your shores now. You knew once you got home, your parents wouldn't stop talking about the war. After all, it was history in the making. The bell had rung, and you grabbed your books, heading out the door to meet up with Jack and his friends. Your twin brother and you were close to anything in the world. Jack was your best friend. Sure, at times, he could be a doofus, but he was everything to you. The two of you were only inseparable. You and Jack met up in the hallway, along with his friends Frank and Harry. Frank and Harry couldn't shut up about how excited they were to fight the Japanese. Frank said he was gonna make sure to bring his swiss blade with him, just in case.  _

_ The minute you walked out of the school building, posters were being shoved into your face. It was all too much to take in at once. Men dressed in green uniforms flooded the school and town. Picking up the posters, you noticed that they were drafting signs in colorful colors. They ranged, saying, "Want Action? Join the U.S. Marine Corps" or "Smack 'Em Down! Fly High With The U.S. Marines". Pearl Harbor had been bombed only eight hours ago, and draft posters were already in your small town. Jack dragged you back home as you ran into the house. Your father and mother, who were usually keeping the cows milked and crops growing, were glued to the small T.V. screen. Your father had left a newspaper on the couch. Reading the headline, your heart dropped.  _

_ "U.S. DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN" _

_ Not even a day had gone by, and now there was a war and an apparent draft.  _

_ \------ _

_ A week had gone by, and your little town in Vermont had gone wild. All of the boys and young men in the city were currently enlisting left and right. It was the non-stop talk. The boys raved about the pacific and killed Hitler while the girls cried, scared they wouldn't get married after high school. Just like anyone else, the war made your anxiety rise.  _

_ Jack and you were both born with Polio. Thankfully your Polio hadn't been severe, and with years of therapy, you had managed to live somewhat everyday life. On the other hand, Jack wasn't the luckiest. Polio had taken his teenage years away from him. Two years ago, he had to stop playing all sports and start using a cane. He was like an old man stuck in an eighteen-year old's body. Polio refused to bring down his spirits. As a child, Jack had been fascinated with war. Your father was a war hero himself. Jack felt like it was his duty to carry the family legacy. Even with protest, Jack was enlisted and was set to be drafted.  _

_ As each day went on, the fights between Jack and your parents escalated. Jack's Polio was getting worse each year. He tried to walk with his brace instead of a cane, which ended miserably. It pained Jack since all he wanted to do was fight., but there was no way he couldn't. He would make it to training camp and probably hurt himself in the process. As his sister and closest friend, you couldn't let him do this to himself. _

_ Jack kicked the door open with his cane as he walked down the dirt path. He had just gotten into another fight with your parents, but it was worse. More yelling, crying, and anger. You followed after him, trailing behind him.  _

_ "Jack, please," You begged on the verge of tears yourself, "Listen to them! Dad says, you won't last!" _

_ "I don't care what that man has to say," He barked back as he continued to walk faster, "I'm goin'. Every man has to fight for our country. Dad's too old to go. I ain't havin' those krauts rome around." _

_ It was either Jack or your ailing father. Your father was a hard worker but was slowing down with age. He would die within the next few years, and the last thing you wanted for him was to die a cruel and brutal death.  _

_ You walked up to his back and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. "You'll die!" _

_ "WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH?" His voice rang as he pushed you back with his cane. Jack was too aggressive, causing you to fall onto the dirt ground. You could feel the scraps and blood form on the palms of your hands. "YOU'RE A WOMAN! YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS! YOUR SUPPOSE TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS! JUST LET ME DIE FIGHTING FOR OUR COUNTRY!"  _

_ It had hit Jack like a slap in the face. He had not only yelled but just pushed his best friend to the ground like a bully. Tears formed at your eyes as you bit your lip, crawling back. Regret was plastered on his face as he walked forward. You didn't bother to listen to him as you crawled back, running back into the house.  _

_ Your mother stood on the porch, opening her arms for comfort. The last thing you wanted to do was talk to people. Covering your eyes, you ran into the house and up the stairs to your bedroom. The door slammed behind you as tears streamed down your face.  _

_ \------ _

_ For hours you sat on your bed, looking out at the Vermont night. The moon shined bright as the stars twinkle over the sky. The trees rustled the leaves as Fall transitioned into Winter. Outside of the window, you could hear the conversation that happened with your parents and brother. Instead of a fight, it was a calm conversation. Jack still held his ground. At this point, he had been begging to fight. Your mother protested, but your father shook his head and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him and saying, "Good luck, soldier." Jack walked back into the house. He stood at your door and contemplated apologizing but returned to his room.  _

_ Your poor mother stood there with her hands covering her face, sobbing. Your father tried to console her in the act of kindness, but she simply shrugged him off and ran into the house. He simply stood there with his arms by his side in defeat. Your family was being torn apart.  _

_ Forcing yourself to get out of bed, you walked to light a candle in your darkroom. Upon lighting it, it exposed all of the nostalgia from your childhood when you were simply a little girl. All the trophies, the signed baseball, jewelry handed down from your mother, and photos. Photos of your family. Pictures of you were your father on a tractor, your 6th birthday when you and your brother threw a pie at each other, and the most recent photo of you and your brother, arm in arm, at a football game. Picking it up, a small formed of your face. The thought of losing him and your father drove you mad. Your father had raised you like a son; learning how your bills, shoot a gun, and so much more. As much as your mother hated it, your father accepted that you weren't the girl that was gonna get married.  _

_ A small tear dropped onto the photo. It scrunched up in your hands as your thoughts began to race. You were anxious and apprehensive; it seemed like a reach. Like a plot out of a movie. Your family and friends had told you how you looked like the female version of Jack. You were Jack, but just with long hair. Your mother never let you cut it, saying it was so beautiful. You pulled your hair back and looked in the mirror to see yourself with short hair.  _

_ You were Jack.  _

_ You were independent and fiery.  _

_ No man was going to control your life.  _

\-----

Herbert Sobel was one of the worst people you had ever met in your life. 

He was brutal and cold. There wasn't a day that went by without him screaming at a trainee. He was infamous for taking away weekend passes and forcing the whole company to run Curahee. One creased pant or slouched shoulders and boom-weekend pass revoked. Curahee occurred three times a week and made the entire company muscled and sore. The only good thing about Sobel was George Luz's jokes. Your bed was placed right next to his. As you would hide under the covers, he would always crack a fantastic impression of him. The whole company would conceal their laughter. 

"Private Y/l/n, have you been blousing your trousers over your boots like a paratrooper?" Sobel walked in front of you, towering over your smaller frame.

Standing tall with your weapon in your hand, "No, sir."

"Then explain the creases at the bottom,"

"No excuse, sir," 

"Volunteering for the parachute infantry is one thing, Y/l/n, but you've got a long way to prove that you belong here," Sobel walked ahead to go ruin someone's else day. "Your weekend pass has been revoked."

Your grasp tightened on your gun as you bit your lip. Anger ran in your hands, but one wrong move, and it would all be over. Last week, Sobel had taken your weekend pass as well. 

But by far, you were positive Sobel hated you the most. 

The first time you ran Curahee, you were the last person. Your average was about thirty minutes. You weren't as quick as Perconte or muscled as Bull. Sure, you had been the top runner on your cross country team, but Curahee was definitely a challenge. You were a short and scrawny teenage girl disguised as a boy. 

Crawling up the dirt hill, you ran up and touched the stone. Sobel stood there with disgust on his face. 

"Y/l/n," He spat, looking down at the timer. It was read thirty-two minutes, "Last as usual. Six miles back." 

You ran back down the hill. Sweat ran down your face as your sticky clothes stuck to your body. The P.T. uniform for runs was a risk. It showed most of your skin and was unfortunately tight. The bandages wrapped around your chest, pained your chest and back. As much you wanted to stop, Sobel was watching you from a distance. You pushed forward as you saw the camp in the distance, the hot Georgia sun setting into the orange sky. 

\-----

It was another training day. You and the easy company men piled out of your shitty dormitory and lined up against the lawn. In front of you were a tall tree and an arrow on top. Everyone speculated to what it could be. Even the smart Dick Winters couldn't figure it out. Perconte predicted it was "one hell of an exercise," and which he was right. 

Sobel had instructed each member of the easy company to climb up the pillar and archive the arrow. It was like a climbing Curahee. Every single person. Even the training medics had to participate. 

To make it even harder, Sobel stated that every climber would have to hold two kettlebells. Everybody held back their groans. Bull was the first to go and fell right on his ass. The next was Leibgott, who tried to wrap them around and jump up, but also tumbled down. Each man took a turn, but who all fail miserably. If you failed, you would be forced to rerun Curahee and additional insulting comments from Sobel. 

Leibgott held his ass as he walked by you. You made eye-contact with him as he threw the weights into your arms. 

"What are you lookin' at, boney?" 

Not wanting to fight, you wrapped the ribbon's weights around your hands and pushed yourself up. It felt bulky and uncomfortable as you tried to climb. You ended up like a lot of members in easy company, falling flat on your ass. Not even ten seconds, and you had failed. 

"Y/l/n, your the most pathetic and spineless paratrooper I've ever seen," He hissed. Snapping out of the pain, you pushed yourself up and began to run towards the infamous hill. You were smart and knew the drill. How the hell were you going to make it?

\-----

Not only were you Sobel punching bag, but seemingly the whole company. You knew people hated you when the infamous George Luz would make an impression of you. He and friends would snick at it, with Bull telling them all to shut up. In the first few weeks in training, you observed the company and how they interacted. Growing up, you were a tomboy who spent most of your time with your brother and his friends. They treated like you were one of the boys and no different from them. Playful punches, snarky remarks, and not taking daily showers seemed to be the norm. You had talked to a few members and was friendly with some but not with others. 

Following your brother and his actions, you approached Liebgott and playfully punched him in the shoulder as a greeting. It turned out Liebgott didn't like people, especially you. Him, Toye, and Guarnere (his nickname made you smirk) looked at you with daggers in your eyes. You already knew what was coming. You stepped back and shut your eyes tight, praying it would pass it. 

The next thing you knew, you were in the infamy with a developing black eye. Liebgott was lanky and small but certainly packed a punch. Sobel had broken up the fight, took another weekend pass away, and another run-up Curahee. As you were escorted out, Luz joked that you were Sobel's favorite punching bag. That man was painfully right. 

A nurse came back and gave you an icepack. She told you that Liebgott had punched you so hard that your eye was going to be swollen shut for the next few days. Liebgott really did hate you. The nurse gave you an icepack and said she would grab some medication to help with the pain. You sat there as you held up the icepack to your battered eye. A sigh escaped your lips as you gently shook your legs backward. 

How the hell were you going to get through this? You didn't know if you could make it another year. Whatever you touched died, whether it be people or your dignity. Sobel and the whole entire company hated you. Even if you wanted to give up, you couldn't. You were doing this for your brother and father. Honor your father, who fought an unimaginable war. Be the man he wanted you to be. 

A loud and frustrated sigh interrupted your thoughts. Looking up, you noticed a man throw down a bandage. The dummy beneath him was covered in countless rolls of bandages. He sat back and leaned onto a pole, putting his hands on his face. 

You squeezed the icepack in your hands as water dripped all over your hands. You knew Sobel's wrath all too well. Being frustrated and not knowing what the next step was. It reminded you of history class. Someone would get frustrated with reading or word, and you'd scot next to them, offering help. You considered yourself a person who kept to themselves. All the girls in your grade would get invited to parties and sleepovers, but you never did. You felt like nobody noticed you existed. Whenever you spoke or did anything out of your comfort zone, it caused chaos. You felt like a spectre in the crowd. Nobody ever noticed you. 

Pushing yourself from the hard rock bed, you walked into the other room and bent down to the dummy. The training medic revealed his face. His face was red, sweaty, and stressed. He didn't speak any word as your y/e/c met with his dark blue eyes. The Georgia sun was beginning to set, and a light shined on his eyes, making them appear royal blue. His eyes reminded you of the lake behind your house. In the summers, you and your brother would sneak to the lake at sunset, hitting you with nostalgia. You relaxed your shoulders, feeling content for the first time in a year. 

You held up a bandage, asking in a soft voice, "You want help?"

The blue-eyed man nodded in response. He fixed his posture and leaned forward to watch your demonstration. He had pink skin and thick black hair. His jaw was sharp, looking like it could give a papercut. Your mother was a retired veterinarian. Before you enrolled in school, your mother brought you to her workplace. Your little mind somehow remembered everything from her job. 

You weren't the best at conversation, feeling frightened to talk considering all of your horrible experiences. "Um, you put the gauze here," You explained with a low voice as you held the gauze down and wrapped the bandage from top to bottom. Once the two pieces met in the middle, you grabbed them tightly and knotted them. "Tie it like a shoelace, tight but not suffocating tight."

He followed your every move and replicated it on the other arm. Whatever you had done, it had worked. Your hands moved quickly, making it seem so simple/ He struggled to hold the gauze down as he tied. You aided him by holding the gauze down as he finished knotting. His hand brushed up against yours. His cheeks grew red as he looked down, focusing on the task. There was definitely room for improvement, but it worked. 

You looked up at him with a subtle smile on your face, "Looks better."

"Thanks," He rubbed the back of his neck. His accent was thick. It took you a second to decipher what he had just said. Whatever his accent was sounded southern. The closer you were to him, he looked familiar, but you couldn't put the finger on him. 

There was a peaceful silence before you broke it, "What's your name?" 

"Eugene, you?"

"Y/n," You replied as the empty bandage rolled slid between your fingers. That wasn't really your name, it was your brothers, but it had grown onto you. 

Eugene's eyes scanned your body as his cheeks grew heated. He had been having a horrible day with the Georgia heat and lack of nurses available. He thought choosing a job as a medic would be easy since he was agile, but it proved to be a task. The only medical training he had was from boy scouts, and he hadn't attended a meeting in years. 

A smile curved on his lips, and looked at you, "Y/n," He repeated your name. Something was soothing about his accent. He reminded you of an iceberg, slowly melting. "What happened to your eye?" 

"I got punched by Leibgott," You nodded your head. Eugene was the first person that treated you like a human. He didn't make fun of you, and It was refreshing. He didn't laugh or make a mean remark. All he did was sit there and listen.

A nurse popped her head into the room and gave you the pain medication. She told you that Sobel needed you back at training. You looked out the window and saw the easy company men climbing up the tree and all failing. 

You stood up and swallowed the meds. Before you left, you looked back and waved to Eugene. "Bye, Eugene."

He seemed caught off guard and tilted his head up, "Bye, y/n."

For the time in a year, you felt like you could actually breathe and smile. Smile about Eugene's smile.

\-----

From that day forward, Eugene had become your friend. You returned to the infirmary and stumbled upon him. What started off with helping him become a better medic formed into a friendship. Eugene was the only person you felt comfortable with within the whole camp. Sure, Dick Winters and Bull treated you with kindness, but he treated you like a human being with Eugene. 

The two of you would share cigarettes, stolen chocolate, and thousands of little stories. Eugene wasn't a man of many words. He was someone who observed. Whenever you ranted, even if it was about the dumbest thing, he could sit and listen. It turned out Eugene lived in your bunk. The man was silent as a mouse and, like you, kept to himself. Unlike you, he avoided trouble. Somehow, you always ended up in it. 

Eugene helped you with your black eye. He offered you a bunch of little tricks on how to make it better. Eugene used his hands a lot and usually held a compress to your face as you relaxed. He gave you some anti-swelling medication along with some fruits he snuck that apparently helped "heal" the pain. 

"Jack, where you from?" He asked you one night. The two of you couldn't sleep. George Luz was a horrible bunkmate and couldn't resist snoring. Eugene had tip-toed to your bed and held up a pack of cigarettes. The two of you made gestures that only you and Eugene understood. Slipping out of bed, the two of you ran behind the camp to smoke. You laid right next to Eugene as cigarettes hung from your lips, looking into the stary sky. 

Typically, you initiated a lot of the conversation. But tonight, it was different. Eugene turned his body over to you, watching his every move. He wasn't much older than you, about two years. He hated when you smoked, feeling guilty that he had gotten you on such a bad habit. You grew up with parents who smoked, so it wasn't anything new. Cigarettes calmed your anxiety. 

"Vermont. Stowe, it's near the Candian border," You said as a smoke puff escaped your mouth, "You?"

"Louisiana. Bayou Chene, you know it?"

"No idea," You chuckled as you threw your finished cigarette to the side. You scrambled through your pocket and placed a cigarette in your mouth but couldn't find your damned lighter. You probably left it at your bunk. 

Eugene scooted closer. It took you back as you tuned your face towards his. His face leaned into yours as the tip of your cigarettes caressed. Eugene's cigarette light you as smoke emerged from your mouth. Your faces were so close as his dark blue eyes burned into your soul. At first, Eugene seemed distant. You thought he hated you because everyone did. But to the best of ability, he proved that he didn't hate you. He was like a shy plant that you were watering. Each day Eugene blossomed as you got to know him more. Your cheeks grew as your fingers grasped against the grass. You could get lost in Eugene's big blue eyes. Swim into oblivion and never come back.

No, you couldn't. You were Private y/n y/l/n, not y/n. 

You let out a fake cough, and Eugene noticed, backing up to the spot he once was in. You laid as a cigarette dragged on your lips, looking at the starry sky. Eugene was the only person that treated you with kindness. You could let your guard down in front of him. Your voice was soft whenever you were around him, relaxed shoulders, and your daily serotonin simply being delivered by his mere presence. His Cajun accent made you weak. You could listen to it for hours on end; it was like a sweet lullaby. It seemed like you two had found something in each other that you seemingly couldn't find with the rest of the company. 

Eugene had turned his head to look back at you and see how relaxed you were. He was at a loss for words. Seeing you calm made him calm. He had seen you cry, run, and almost every emotion in such a short amount of time. Eugene considered himself to be a loner, but what he felt was his friend. 

"Vermont's got a lot of snow, doesn't it?"

You turned and met with his face once again, smiling, "Lots of it in the winter."

"I've never seen it before, 's tew hot down there." Eugene mumbled, "I hate the heat." 

"You should come to Stowe, y' know, after the kraut's surrender," You offered as you took the cigarette out of your mouth and waved it around. "I'll take you skiing." 

It was a forward move, but Eugene was your friend, after all. Nothing more than just a friend. He tilted his head, "I can't ski 'doe."

"I'll teach you. You'll see how fun it is," You explained, shifting yourself up as you put your chin in your palm. The stars twinkled in Eugene's eyes.

"Ok?"

"Ok." 

Eugene grabbed your hand, and you shook it back. His much larger hand-squeezed yours before sliding away. It took you by surprise. Before Sobel could take out another weekend pass, the two of you ushered back to the camp.

It was a deal. 

\-----

Sobel had once again decided to ruin the company's day by calling them back into the dorm. Nobody knew exactly why, which made the whole situation even worse. Piling into the dorm, Sobel stood in front of your bed, revealing a big bloodstain. He questioned all of the men on it before you came forward and admitted it was you. The makeshift pad you had made apparently didn't work. 

"Give me a good reason to why you bled the bed, Private y/l/n," Sobel demanded as he stood in front of you.

Your eyes looked at the bed as you scrambled to find a good excuse. Of course, your period had to act up today. Your hands rested on your back as your fingers fiddled with each other. 

"I had a scab on my leg, and I picked it in the night, sir." You muttered low, not wanting the other men to hear. 

Sobel knew what you said, but after all, you were his punching back. 

"Private, repeat yourself. Louder this time." 

"I had a scab on the back of my leg, and I was picking at it, sir." You repeated, louder. Some of the men held back their snickers. You knew Liebgott was getting a kick out of this. Eugene looked at the stain and then you, pity in his big blue eyes. 

Sobel walked past you, "Private y/l/n, do you wet the bed at night?" 

Sobel's face looked so punchable at the moment. These men held in their laughter as you tried to find your words to respond. What was a good excuse for your period? Your father always taught you to be honest (even though you had been lying for a whole year). 

"I...did, sir." You admitted. 

Sobel huffed under his breath, "This isn't sleepaway camp. You will run up Curahee, and I expect to see you up there in fifteen minutes. In gear." 

Not only did you have to run in 90-degree weather, but in heavy gear that made you look like a child in pajamas. The rest of the men piled out of the dorm for dinner. Perconte gave you a sympathetic look. He always seemed to do that whenever Sobel had tortured you once more. The last person who left the room, Eugene looked at you. You didn't even need to speak; his eyes screamed pity. Eugene knew you didn't pee the bed. 

\-----

You had run Curahee thousands of times, but today it had been hell. It was hot and sticky, the sun was setting, and you had heavy (and smelly) gear dragging you down. The rifle that hanged from your hands was dragging you down, and your whole body was aching with pain. The only thing you wanted to do in the world was punch Sobel's stupid nose off and sob. You had cried silently but hadn't sobbed. You were never alone in this company. You weren't sure how much longer you would be able to last. You felt alone, scared, and a pathetic excuse for a paratrooper. 

Footsteps rumbled behind you. They got louder as you could eventually hear the clanging of dog tags. Stopping your sniffling, you turned to your right and saw Eugene. It was starting to get dark and humid outside, so you assumed it was a hallucination, but it wasn't. Eugene was right next to you, dressed in all his gear as he ran right beside you. 

"Shit, Gene?" You said, caught off guard by his sudden appearance.

"Hey 'dere y/n," He replied, looking up and down your body. He saw your physical and emotional exhaustion, "You doin' okay?"

Emotions made you seem weak, and everybody perceived you as soft. Subtly sniffling, you turned and stored your sadness away once more. "Yeah, 'm fine," You quirked an eyebrow, "Now what in the hell are you doin' here?"

As Eugene ran beside you, his shoulder bumped against yours a little. It was a minor detail that made your cheeks grow red, "Thought you'd like some company... y' know since we're a company."

A small snort escaped your mouth as you guys ran. Did he run through hell just for you? No one that really ever done that before. Eugene and you had grown so close to each other in such a short amount of time. It was the little things that proved Eugene was your friend. "Gene, Sobel's gonna take away your weekend pass,"

"'S not like I got anythin' better to be doin' with my time," Eugene said as sweat dripped down his face. His helmet was too big for his head and tilted. "Rather be with you 'den anythin' else."

Right then in there, you would've dropped to the ground. You had to be hallucinating. With the heat and impending night, your head was spinning right now. Maybe Eugene was too friendly, or perhaps he was flirting with you. Whenever you were about to cry in your sleep, a thought of Eugene would pop up. A smile would appear on your face. Just thinking about seeing him, bringing you a small dose of serotonin. 

"Even if it means running through hell and having Sobel scream in your face?"

Eugene looked and you and nodded. He was a true friend, loyal, and kind. 

You laughed as the two of you turned the corner. Sobel was on top of the dreadful hill, squinting his eyes as he saw you and Eugene. Sobel usually looked unhappy, but he was prepared to give you and Eugene another standoffish remark. 

You groaned under your breath at Sobel's far presence, "You sure you wanted to do this?"

"'S worth it, y/n." Eugene said, "Rather be 'ere." 

Those words stuck with you the three miles up and the three miles down. 

\-----

Once you arrived back at camp, the sun had already gone down. It was already eight. On your run down, you had fallen. It was caused by your cramps and dehydration. Eugene practically dragged (and somewhat carried) you back to camp. Sobel was not impressed whatsoever. The men of the easy company saw you being removed to the infirmary. The nurses kept a close eye on you and shoved water down your throat. 

One of them gave you a pat on the back and told you to return to the dormitory. You were exhausted as you walked outside into the night. All you wanted to do was crawl into that stonecold bed and doze off about Eugene. 

"Private y/l/n," A familiar voice called. You turned and straightened your position. There Sobel stood, looking angered at your presence, as usual. 

"Sir," Is all you could respond with. Sobel had triggered your flight or fight response. 

"I'm concerned with your wellbeing in the camp," Sobel began to explain. Whatever he was going to say, you knew it wasn't good, "You've been with easy company for almost a year now, and you've shown little to no change. Your disobedient, spineless, and unable to complete simple tasks. I firmly believe you will not ever be prepared for combat,"

"Permission to speak, sir," You tried not to interrupt him. 

"Denied, I'm not finished," He coldly spoke, "You're unsuited for the rage of war. I would not trust you with a man, let alone a weapon. You don't belong in easy company, or any company for that matter. You're done here." 

Words were unfathomable. A year of pure pain, and it was all for nothing. You were a soldier and couldn't act out of line. All you could do was stand there and hold in your tears and anger. 

"Your father was a commander y/f/n y/l/n, correct?"

"Yes, sir," You said, low as words choked in your throat. Your father was a commander in world war one. He was a short-order than you and had a position similar to Sobel's. Like your brother, he was unwell to fight. He was aging and slowing down every day. 

"I would trust Captain y/ln in combat, but not private y/l/n," He sneered with venom in his voice. He began to walk past you, "Go home, you're through." 

He had stabbed your heart. You looked like a disappointment in front of him and your father. Sobel had proved that you were nothing but useless. You simply stood there as you relaxed your shoulders, feeling a small tear stream down your cheek. As much as tears begged to come out of you're eyes, you couldn't let them bring you down. Looking inside, Eugene was right there. He had seen and heard everything Sobel had said. Typically Eugene looked emotionless, but his face felt your pain. All you did at that moment was turn your heel and walk back. 

"Voleunting for the parachute infantry is one thing, Y/l/n, but you've got a long way to prove that you belong here."

"Y/l/n, you're the most pathetic and spineless paratrooper I've ever seen,"

"Go home; you're through."

"You don't belong in easy company, or any company for that matter. You're done here." 

All Sobel saw you were is disobedient, spineless, and unable to complete simple tasks. It was his words and not yours. They filled you with rage, frustration, and dejection. Within the past year, you had proven you were nothing but a fool. Maybe it was for the better. You wouldn't even trust yourself in combat. Sobel had made sure you hated yourself even more than you already did. If you weren't a good housewife, then there was no way in hell you were going to be a paratrooper. 

Walking back to the dorm, you noticed that damned pillar. It reached high into the sky, reflecting the moonlight. The drill, even though nobody could do it, was still used by Sobel. Months had gone by, and no man in the company had been able to climb it. With the heat and weights, it was near impossible. Regardless, Sobel still tortured the company. What the hell did it even have to do with being a paratrooper. 

Almost every time, you fell right on your ass with Sobel screaming in your ear and Liebgott snickering. But you were alone with your thoughts running through your head. Sobel's words that left a permeant mark on you. It was like a dark vein had wrapped around your limbs, dragging you into the ground as you struggled to fight. All you wanted to do was give up and succumb to the darkness you knew all too well. 

But you weren't going to succumb tonight or ever. 

You grabbed the kettlebells and jumped on the pole, only to fall onto your butt again. It hurt, and you were tired, but the pure rage was driving you. You would push yourself back up, and no matter how many times you well, you repeated. You weren't going to be considered weak and pushed away. All you knew at the moment was that you weren't going to leave this camp without a fight. 

After hundreds of times of falling, you noticed a small detail. The kettlebells weighed the same and were meant to drag you down. But if you wrapped your whole body around the pole and simply pushed like your life had depended on it, then maybe it could work. Perhaps you could rub the fact that you weren't disobedient or spineless to Sobel. 

Stepping back and running towards the pillar, you jumped up and wrapped your arms and legs around it. You slipped but yourself up. It was an uncomfortable position, but you had just made progress. The weights were dragging you down, but all you do was fight and push like your life had depended on it. 

Dawn was arriving as the sky turned into a pinkish-blue hue. The sun slowly came over the hills as it shined upon the camp. Sobel wanted men at the crack of drawn. They had woken up to you halfway through climbing up Sobel's most challenging task. Most of them were in shock, considering that it had been out of all of the people, you. he one that George Luz had labeled as "Sobel's Punching Bag." Not Spiers or Winters, but you. 

"Can you believe what I'm seeing?" Luz looked up, crossing his arms. 

"Sobel beat them up, I bet money," Perconte said. 

"Maybe Bones finally gained some muscle from all that damn runnin," Toye added. 

"You idiots, it's none of 'dat." Guarnere interrupted, frustrated at his friends, "It's crack, for sure." 

All the men in easy company looked at Guarnere, horrified, and confused. Guarnere didn't know why they all looked so shocked. He was confident he was right. 

"Oh, come on, you kidding me?" Liebgott smirked as he looked at you climb. You were halfway there but slipping down. "Bones can't make it through Curahee through dyin, watch 'em fall, and break 'dere back." 

Winters, being the mature one, had started cheering like an enthusiastic dad at a football. He knew there was some hidden talent in you. Slowly, all of the men began to cheer and whistle, even Liebgott. You noticed their cheers as you pulled up. The sun was starting to blind you, but it wasn't time to give you. A few more pushes, and you would be at the top. 

Eugene had seen you storm out. He could feel your pain from a mile away. Seeing a small tear stream down your cheek made him feel human again. Toccoa had ripped his emotions away from you. You were the only thing that reminded him that there was right in the world. Not wanting to interrupt you, Eugene watched you from a distance. The way you screamed in frustration and fell. He knew it was creepy, but he had been cheering on for you. When you had managed to begin climbing, he smiled—a genuine, happy smile. 

"allez, poussez juste…" Eugene muttered as he fidgeted with his fingers. You were so close to defeating Sobel's challenge. 

Eugene knew you could do it. 

There you sat, looking down at all the men who cheered you on. The breeze flew through your short hair, which was slowly starting to grow out. You smiled as you looked down, waving to all the men causing a commotion. It was like a miracle had happened. 

Sobel had heard all of the commotions and walked back to the camp. Much to his surprise, he saw you, sitting on top of the pilar as you waved down to the men. You were like a god on a pedestal waving to your followers. That's not what you viewed yourself as, but you felt respected for once. Heck, even Liebgott cheered for you. You saw Eugene and smiled at him, giving him a small wave. He waved back, a smile on his face as well. 

Maybe you were cut out to be a paratrooper. 

\-----

It was like a rebirth had occurred. No longer were you the weak link of the chain. It took time, but you rose above your piers and gained their respect. Sobel, impressed and shocked, had given you a second chance. You proved to him and your company that you were worthy of being a paratrooper. Sobel was still horrible to you, but it didn't matter. Whatever he threw at you, you and the company would complete it. No matter the runs up Curahee or twelve-mile marches, easy company persisted. 

Jumping out of a moving plane, you and the company were officially paratroopers. After almost two years of living hell, you had somehow managed to do it. You had no idea how you did, but you had done it. Maybe it was Eugene's silent encouragement or the company's respect, or even Sobel's nasty remarks. 

You were a paratrooper now. You hoped your father was proud of you. 

\-----

The night of the jump, the company had discovered a lake behind Camp Toccoa. You and Eugene had known about it for years, considering it your safe haven. You would even travel there yourself to take a dip in the lake where you were y/n, not Jack. It was another humid night in Georgia, so a nice drop wouldn't hurt. As long as you kept yourself hidden, you considered it to be safe. 

Throwing off your gear, you took a dive into the water. It was cold but refreshed your body. You laid on your back as you shut your eyes, enjoying the water rush against your body. The only visible part of your body was your head and toes. There you could wash your body and be alone, away from all the discord. You washed your body and hair, feeling clean for the first time in a long time. Instead of smelling like dirt, you smelt like vanilla. Being a man had its perks but also its cons. You didn't even want to get started on male hygiene. Eugene would have been excellent company, but it was too risque. Two years into training, and the last thing you needed was your identity being discovered. Being a man took time to adapt to. You thought since you had hung out with your brother and his friends, it wouldn't be challenging, but you had been proven wrong. But there was no point in looking at the past. Now the men treated you like one. Even Liebgott respected you. He called you by your name instead of "Bones." It was the bare necessities, but it felt nice to be treated somewhat like a person. 

The peace had been interrupted by a wave drowning your face. Freaking out, your body flipped as you turned your head to find the commotion. In the distance were a few easy company men diving into the water and swimming close to your location. Mentally cursing, you began to swim back to your area and get the hell out of there. 

"Hey! Jack Rabbit!" A deep and rough voice Philly voice called. It was none other than the infamous Guarnere. Instead of Bones, your new nickname was Jack Rabbit. It was because you were fast in the line of action.

Turning around, you saw Liebgott, Webster, Toye, Guarnere, and Luz. They were all butt naked and proud. It made you cringe instead. Two years living with guys, and you still refused to be around them, nude. 

You flashed a smile and waved as your head was the only thing that emerged from the water. "Um..hey guys! I didn't even know you were here!"

Liebgott, Luz, and Webster all had their eyes on you, like prey on a predator. Guarnere and Toye could be anywhere. Their glares, which were meant to be friendly, burned into your soul. It made you feel uncomfortable. The water felt like it was on fire. Your only priority was to get out. 

"So now I'm clean, and I'm gonna go" You flashed a smile as you waved, kicking quickly under the water, "Bye!"

"Oh, come on!" Liebgott said as he saw on his back right next to you. A leaf thankful covered up his privates. He was less than an inch away from you. You descended into the water as your hands wrapped around your chest. 

"I know I punched ya', and was mean to ya'-"

Webster interrupted as he laid on his back, looking at the sky, "Practically harassed and assaulted Jack Rabbit until he-"

"Shut ya' trap, college boy," Liebgott turned around and flicked water in Webster's face to disrupt his peaceful mediation, "Anyways, listen, I know we're all to jerks to you before, but let's start over."

He was right up your face as he held out his hand, a dumb smirk on his face, "Joe Liebgott."

You let out a nervous chuckle and shook his hand briefly, "Nice to meet ya…"

As you backed up in the water, you ran right into George Luz, who looked as jolly as ever. Even in the water, he still had a cigarette in his mouth, "George Luz, but you can call me Luz." 

"Will do, Luz!" You had to go. Your heart rate was gonna drag you into the bottom of your lake. 

"And I am Guarnere," A raspy voice called. You all looked up to see a naked (and confident) Guarnere stand on a rock, a full display of his genitalia. Your cheeks flushed red as your hand hid from the grotesque view, "King of the rock! And 'deres nothin' you girls can do about it!"

Toye happened to be on the rock and pushed Guarnere, knocking a block off his big ego. He sighed as he stood on the rock, his member also loud and proud in the night. "I think Jack Rabbit's already been traumatized enough tonight," 

"You call 'Ol Gonorrhea king of the rock?" Luz snorted as his arm wrapped around your shoulder, "I think me and Jack Rabbit can take you up that offer!"

Sliding under Luz, you began to swim away as you said, "I actually really don't wanna take up that offer." 

'Oh, come on!" Luz swam close to you as he grabbed your arm, dragging you back, "Don't be such a gi-ow! Something just bit me!"

All you needed was a good excuse, "Must've been a..um...water snake!"

Luz turned to you, horror on his face. "Snake? SNAKE?" He screeched like a little girl, along with all of the other men as they swam for the rock. Toye looked at all of them, disappointment in their faces. Guarnere put on a stern face and claimed nothing in the water much to everyone's hysteria. It was your chance to escape. Swimming to the nearest (and most secluded) part of the land, you crawled out of the water and hid by a shrub. Once their voices began to disappear, you let out a sigh of relief. 

"I never wanna see a naked man ever again…" You groaned as the imagine haunted your break. That was certainly a close call. Shaking them out, you looked around. Wherever you had swum to was unfamiliar, full of shrubs and twigs. The moonlight illuminated the lake as the stars twinkled in the sky. You were freezing and wanted to put your clothes back on now that you actually smelled decent for the first time in a while. Not having any cover meant walking back in with thorns scraping against your thigh. After that experience, you did not want to ever experience that again or see Guarnere brag about his member's size. 

You began to recognize the area where you had left all of your gear. There were no voices or noises except for grasshoppers' sounds, and the wind brustling against the trees. The coast seemed clear. 

Stepping out of the bush, your eyes saw your clothes on the rock. Shaking a few leaves from your hair, you let out a relieved sigh as you walked to the rock, not aware that someone had been watching you.

Picking up a towel, you noticed a figure in the corner of your eye. It seemed like a flash. As your head turned to look, the towel dropped from your hands as your heart dropped into your stomach. 

It was Eugene. 

He had seen you nude. Your breasts and female part-everything. He was just in much as a shock as you were. Both of you were frozen in place. Eugene's cheeks and nose flustered red as he looked down at your body. It had been a long time since he had seen a woman. He knew he shouldn't have looked, but it was so much to take in at once. It came as a shock to him and you. 

You threw up your hands, at a loss of words, "Wait, I can explain...all of this!"

"Y-you're...a girl," Eugene murmured. He seemed shocked but not mortified. 

As you created a mental response, Eugene and you heard the rumbling of a jeep. It was none other than Sobel. He most likely found out the company ditched camp to go swim in the lake, resulting in everyone losing their weekend pass. You could see the jeep in the distance park right beside a rock that hid you and Eugene. The door to the jeep slammed shut, signaling that Sobel was on a mission to bust whoever was at the lake. 

You were naked, a woman, and frozen in fear. This all had to be some nightmare.

"'ere, c'mon," Eugene walked over and grabbed your hand, pulling you into a shrub. There was not a lot of room, so you were practically sitting on Eugene. It was an awkward and uncomfortable situation considering that you were butt naked. Your legs peered out of the bush, and Eugene gently grabbed your waist, pulling you back, so you were completely hidden. 

It was too dark to see anything, but you could hear footsteps and Sobel yell at the men in the lake. You could listen to the splashing of water, and Sobel grabbed something (you assumed your clothes) and storming back into his jeep. Once it jumpstarted, you let out a sigh of relief, but you weren't in the clear still. Your body had melted into Eugene's, his hand on your waist and chest. His breath was heavy against your neck. He hadn't smelt something good in weeks, familiar with the smell of dirt—your buzzed hair smelt like lavender and your body, vanilla. Not to mention your y/s/c skin was glossy and smooth. 

Eugene's calloused hand rested not too far from your breast. It weighed on it, right next to your nipple. Once you realized, you were in absolute horror.

The next thing Eugene knew was that he had your foot kicked into his face as he tumbled out of the bush. You stood there were your hands wrapped around your chest, mortified and embarrassed. 

"You Pervert!" You snarled, stepping back. Sobel had taken your clothes as you cursed. Just when things seemed like they were going good, they were all going down. "I trusted you, and this is what happens? You stalk me and grab my chest and…" A disgusted groan escaped your lip.s You couldn't even finish your sentence without wanting to throw up.

Eugene crawled back to rock as he wiped the blood trickling from his nose. He rose his eyebrows and shook his head, "No, 'dats not why I came, Jack. I came because-"

"Because you wanted to see me naked?" 

"No, I…" The Cajun looked embarrassed to admit it. Letting out a massive sign, he pushed himself to stand. A bruise was already forming on his nose, "Saw all 'da boys headin' to the lake. The one we discovered before any of 'dem did. I was tryin' to look for you, but you weren't 'dere, so I came 'ere and... you're a woman." 

The heat grew on your cheeks. You didn't have any clothes and felt exposed. You were too embarrassed to see Eugene was blushing himself. 

Eugene had known you for two whole years and felt like he knew almost everything about you, but this hit him like a train. He was feeling so many emotions at once; surprise, disbelief, and amazement. Something about this situation made his heart jitter. He had no idea how to describe it. Seeing you so vulnerable and shivering caused him to slowly walk over and take off his olive green chore jacket, throwing aside over your shoulder. 

You backed up, startled. You had gone two years without anyone knowing; now it was over. A small thank you escaped your lips as you pulled the other jacket around it. It was huge on your body and just smelled like Eugene. You now felt horrible. He was too much of a kind person to want to grope you. In fact, he had saved you from being discovered. 

"Why'd you come here?" You asked as you pulled the jacket tighter to your body. 

He hesitated to respond as he rubbed the back of his neck but eventually let loose. "Because I wanted to find you. Not to discover...y'know. Thought you'd be 'ere."

"I'm sorry about punching you; I thought you…"

"Sobel was gonna see your legs; I didn't want him to see you."

You furrowed your eyebrows as you looked at Eugene. If It had been any other soldier, you were sure they would turn you in. But with Eugene, it seemed like he wanted to help you. "Wait...but...why?"

"Well, you were naked...and a woman. Plus, it's Sobel," Eugene explained. He did have a point with Sobel. 

Eugene didn't fully answer your question. "But why did you really hide me? You could've just sent me home".

"Why would I wanna ever do that?" Eugene perplexed, "Listen, y/n, for two years, you hid as a man. You trained, and now you're a paratrooper and Imma medic. I don't know how the hell you pulled it off, but you did. When I first saw you, there was...somethin' off. You were the tinier 'den all of them. When I saw the stain on your bed...I figured it out. I can't believe it's true…" 

A huff escaped your lips, and you buried your hands in your face, "That means they all know…"

"Y/n, no offense…but 'dose guys don't have a brain to notice 'dat you were a girl. They would only believe you if you showed them you were. Guess I'm 'da only one who knows."

"How else could you tell I was a girl?" You were intrigued that Eugene knew. Half of the company men were so distracted that they most likely didn't bother about your appearance, except when Liebgott would make fun of you for being the smallest person in the company. 

"Well... you're a kind person."

You removed your hands from your face, perplexed by his answer. He saw your confusion and proceeded to explain. 

"You're one of the nicest and most empathetic people in the company. 'Dat's kinda how I figured. War is a brutal place. 'Da whole company is full of men who cheat, steal, and lie. But you y/n, ain't nothin like that. You're a good and strong person who cares 'bout other people. A gift from GodGod." 

You smiled as your cheeks turned pink. Eugene's words were raw and the truth. 

"But you know...it's over for me." You sighed as you began to walk past him, "I'm in the doghouse now."

Eugene grabbed your hand, causing you to stop. He looked at you with his big blue eyes. He didn't even need to speak words as his eyes burned into your soul. Eugene made your body weak as the tension left your body. He gave your hand a little squeeze. 

"No, let me help you."

"With what?"

"Being a man," Eugene said, "I'll help you with whatever you need. Bandages, binders, products for y' know...you. If you wanna pass without worryin', then let me 'elp you. Please." 

You liked the idea of it but yearned for why Eugene desperately wanted to help you. "Why do you wanna help a woman?"

"It ain't 'cause you're a woman; it's because you're a fighter. Two years of training, and you finally are a Paratrooper. I don't wanna let all your hard work go to waste," He replied, "Plus, I'd miss havin' you 'round." 

You shook your head as you chuckled. Eugene was serious but lighthearted, in which he was only around you. The two of you were so vulnerable around each other, letting downsides you would never let the world see. He subtle smiled as you let go of his hand. 

"Why'd you do it?"

The two of you walked in the dark forest, side by side. You began to talk about your long journey to where you stood. "My brother had Polio, and my dad was too old. I didn't wanna see them get hurt...so I took my brother's place."

"That's what angels do, y' know? That's very brave," Eugene complimented.

He kept referring to you as an angel, and you couldn't tell if it was subtle flirting or him just being nice to you. You bumped into his shoulder, smiling, "I don't consider it brave. I just wanted to make sure they were ok." 

Eugene looked up at the sky and then at you. Looking at you made him feel at ease. He could stare at you for hours on end. 

"You gotta promise me somethin' tho'."

Your full attention was on him, waiting to spill. 

"Promise me you won't get hurt or do anythin' dumb. Stay by me when you can. I just... I don't know if I could handle you getting hurt," Eugene admitted as his voice croaked. You were the last person he wanted to lose. The one real person that he cared deeply about. 

"I'll try, but please…" You squeezed the rim of his jacket, "Don't treat me any differently because I'm a woman. I'm a man to you, and nothing different. Can you promise me that, Gene?"

You stood there and held out your hand to shake on it. Eugene stopped walking and noticed. His mind was racing with thoughts. So many ideas were going through his head. It had already been a night full of surprises. But if you wished it, it was his command. Eugene's hand once again met with yours as you firmly shook hands. The two of you continued walking as Eugene looked down at you, not knowing what to say once again. But the two had created a language that you would only understand. 

"Ok?" Eugene cooed in his thick drawl. 

You looked at him and nodded with reassurance, "Ok."

"What's your real name, by the way? Not your brother's name, but your name." 

"Y/n." You said. You hadn't said that in years. 

"Y/n, y/n…" Eugene repeated your name under his breath. It was different, and he liked others. He knew it was his job not to grow close to you, but it was becoming harder now that you were a woman and his closest friend. But he snapped out of his worry and smiled down at you. "Nice to meet you, y/n."

"Nice to meet you as well, Gene." 

Eugene and you walked back to camp. He had gotten you a fresh pair of clothes, and the two of you sat outside of the medical center, sharing a pack of cigarettes as you watched the sunrise into the Toccoa sky. You and Eugene agreed to make it seem like this was a normal situation, and nothing had changed. But now that Eugene knew about the real y/n, everything had changed. 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You drop into Normandy and get injured during the jump. You run into an unarmed Eugene, and a Kraut more solid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving break is coming soon, so I hope to finish this story by the end of the year! ;)

Normandy couldn’t have been real. It seemed like an over-exaggerated plot. You and thousands of men dropped into Normandy. It seemed like the sky was on fire. Instead of landing at your destination, you landed right into a tree. You were being choked by a cord and cut it, landing right into a thorn bush. Not only were you scared but injured. Your hand grabbed a fist full of thorns. It was tempting to scream, but you had to be a man. The only weapon you had was a swiss knife from your ankle holster. That jump was a nightmare,, and you assumed you lost all your supplies. So not only were you scared and injured but alone. 

Ripping a piece of your sleeve, you wrapped it around your bloody hand. With a swiss knife, you were prepared to defend yourself and most likely die. The sky still sparkled with bombs. It was calmer than it was before, but the flashes and explosions made your body tremble. 

To add to your stress, you had no idea where you had dropped. You continued to walk forward with a bloody trail. You began to stumble on your own feet through the dark woods. 

“Come on…” You mumbled, looking down at your hand. The fabric was wet and warm, soaking with blood. The wound reminded you of Eugene. He had been right behind you on the plane. As you prepared to jump, he patted you on the back. You turned to him and softly smiled. Eugene responded with a smile. You were worried about him. Did he survive the jump or die in the crossfire?

The distant screams of German-made you jump. Grabbing your knife, you hid behind a tree and looked in both directions. The german was coming closer to your location, along with a panting noise. It was low and gruff. You noticed two silhouettes; one of them running as the other tracked behind them. Your curiosity caused you to (foolishly) move from tree to tree to get closer. 

It was Eugene and a Kraut. He still wore his dark facepaint from the jump. The  Kraut swung his gun around, using the bayonet. Looking at your knife, you furrowed your eyebrows. Eugene fell behind a tree as the Kraut tumbled backward. Seeing it as an opportunity, you ran behind the Kraut and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back and stabbing him in his hip. The fabric he wore was so thick that your small blade didn’t fully enter. Enraged, he screamed and grabbed your tinier frame, throwing your down. 

It took Eugene a second to realize that it, was you. You fell with a gentle grunt. Your eyes met each other. He was relieved by your presence. Even though Eugene knew that you were capable, the thought of you getting hurt stung him with guilt. He deeply cared about you, even if he wasn’t the best at showing it. After finding out about your true identity, you told Eugene that nothing was to change between you two. Eugene swore and attempted, but it was getting harder each day to do so. 

Your stare was disrupted by the Kraut you had just stabbed. He ran ontop as he forced a bayonet into your throat. Your hands had grabbed it in time, pushing it up. The Kraut was stronger than you. His face was scrunched up as he yelled curses into your face. The blade was getting closer to your neck. Was this going to be your fate? Would you die a hero? 

The Kraut was knocked off of you. He flew to the side as his weapon fell from his hands. Your eyes once again met with Eugene’s. He had kicked the soldier off, saving your life. There wasn’t enough time to thank him. Rolling to the side, you pushed yourself up and ran to the bayonet. The Kraut attempted to get up,, but you kicked him back down. Stepping on his chest, you forced the bayonet in this throat. His big hands painfully squeezed your ankles as he choked on his blood. But his widened eyes knew it was all over. His tight grasp began to soften as his eyes rolled into his head, his arms falling as the blood still trailed from his mouth. 

“Flash?” 

You looked over and saw Eugene slowly walking towards you. 

“Thunder,” You said as you walked over to Eugene, “Thank god your here.” 

Eugene’s hands began to pat down your body frantically. You stood there, not knowing what to do. He was muttering small words in French as you raised your hands. “Doc! What the hell are you doing?”

“You feelin’ good, right y/n? You didn’t get hurt or anythin’,” Eugene mumbled as his hands patted your shoulders. A red tint glowed on your cheeks as he looked away. Ever since finding out you were a woman, Eugene became even softer in front of you. You didn’t want him to think of you any differently for being a woman. 

You sighed, “Yes, I’m fine, says the guy who almost got killed.”

“Y/n, that Kraut could’ve killed you!” Eugene exclaimed as his hands remained on his shoulder, “He was twice your size!” 

You threw his hands off your shoulders and walked over to his body, searching for any ammunition or bare necessitates. “Did you even have a weapon to fight him?” 

“No, but…” Eugene said, tripping on his words. If you hadn’t been there, then he most likely would’ve died. It had been such a crazy night. Eugene began to wonder if y/n was a guardian angel. 

A luger had been in the Kraut’s holster. It was loaded, and yet he hadn’t used it once. His blank eyes burned into your soul. Shaking it off, you stood up and walked back towards Eugene with a luger. You opened up his jacket and safely placed in it his pocket, gently patting it. 

“There, you got a weapon now.” You reassured. Eugene and your faces were so close to eachothers. Even in the night, you could still remember those beautiful blue eyes. Your hand lingered on his chest, just like when his big hands rested on his shoulders. 

Eugene grabbed your hand that was wrapped in a bloodied cloth. Taking the ripped piece off, he examined your hand and saw the injury. “You said you weren’t injured.”

“It’s just a scratch, Doc.” 

“Sit down, now.” He commanded. You refused, and he carefully grabbed your wrist, leading you to a rock. The two of you sat down as he scavenged his jacket for any supplies. With a thin wrap of bandages and gauze pads, he began to work at your hand. You attempted to help by removing the blood, but he insisted that he was the one that did all the work. 

“Why’d you lie to me?” He broke the silence. You looked up at him as he wrapped your hand. “You were hurt”. 

“It was a small scratch. I fell from some trees during the landing. I have a few bruises, I think,” You continued, “But trust me, I’m fine.” 

Eugene grunted as he finished wrapping your hand. The method you taught him over a year ago stuck with him. It always worked like a charm. 

“Eugene,” You said, your voice soft. You didn’t even notice that you stopped faking your voice. He looked up at you as he tied the bandages, “You use the shoelace method still?” 

“Why wouldn’t I?” He said as he put the spare supplies in his jacket pocket. “It works. Well.” 

Eugene finished gathering his supplies as you took the Kraut’s bayonet. It wasn’t a lot, but it worked. Eugene and you had no idea where you were going. You watched the shells explode in the sky as you walked in the dark forest, trying to stay alive. Eugene was quieter than he usually was. He refused to make eye contact with you as he held the luger in his hands. 

“Listen, Gene…” You looked over at him, keeping your voice low. Eugene looked at you, all ears and eyes on you. “I know we’ve talked about this, but you gotta stop treatin’ me like I’m helpless. I just feel like your like my mother!”

“I know, I just…” He stuttered, looking at you, “I don’t know.” 

You were frustrated, unable to respond. You did love Eugene as a friend, but sometimes he never knew how to communicate. He would either mumble in French or mutter quietly, constantly repeating himself. “It’s nice that you wanna help, but I can take care of myself. Do you think of me any differently because I am a girl?”

Eugene, seeing you were offended, shook his head. “What? No? Not at all. It’s just...you don’t see a girl like yourself every day.” 

You quirked an eyebrow at him to explain. 

“I’ve never met a strong girl, or woman ever. At least a one who...you know….” Eugene tilted his head as the two of you continued to walk, “wants to do their own thing. Not saying I don’t mind it. You don’t stumble across someone like you every day, y’know.” 

Did Eugene just call you strong? Eugene sometimes didn’t make sense. Hearing him call you a woman made your knees weak. His words still confused you; regardless, it made your cheeks grow red again. You felt like he was subtly praising you. 

“Um, well, thanks,” You thanked. He nodded his head in response, tipping his helmet. “But please, just treat me like I’m a man. Let me take care of myself, and...you”. 

You looked forward as your cheeks began to grow pink. What the hell had you just done? Your thoughts were starting to become word vomit. You could feel Eugene look at you. Knowing him, you knew Eugene’s movements. His face was trying to process the words you had just spoken. 

Hearing footsteps, you stopped in place and signaled to Eugene to keep low. The footsteps got louder as the two of you hunched on the ground, waiting to see who was lurking. It wasn’t a German soldier, but Winters and Hall. You were relieved, not wanting to kill another man again. The vivid image of a warm, crimson liquid spewing out of the Kraut’s mouth made you shiver. Like you, he was just a soldier fighting for his life in a war-torn world. He was just a human that you had slaughtered, like a lamb in a pen. The Kraut fought until his last seconds. Your ankles ached with pain as you could already feel the bruises forming on your ankles. If you hadn’t been there, Eugene would’ve died. He wasn’t armed with anything but his medical kit. 

It was a strange sensation. Whenever you saw Eugene, a smile would curve on your lips. It would happen without you even knowing. You began to notice the small occurrence at the beginning of your friendship. Liebgott had questioned (and teased) you about it at first. Even walking back to the checkpoint in the dark night, Winters had asked you why you were smiling? It was because you were thinking of Eugene-relieved that he was alive because of your quick thinking. Not only did you save a life, but you in cold blood took one as well. 

\-----

There was a little peace at the checkpoint. After an unpleasant night of killing more Krauts, Bill going on a killing rampage with Winters reprimanding him, and almost being choked by your parachute; being in a field in the open air was so refreshing. You were in the eye of the storm. Peace was temporary, but you would savor every minute of it. There were no more shells or dark skies, just silence for the time being. Who knew what was in store. You could be alive or dead in the next twenty-four hours. Upon arriving, you headed to the medics since Eugene insisted that you could’ve been more injured than you were. He dragged you to the medic as you repeated that you were okay. It reminded me of your mother, dragging you into a department store for clothes shopping. 

To say you were lucky was an understatement—most of the men who landed in trees ending up dying from shells or their own gear. The nurses, upon hearing your story of falling from a tree into poison ivy, were shocked that you had made it out alive (and killed a Kraut with a little blade). They discovered you had a few bruises and cuts around your body. Apparently, you even had a gash on your thigh. Another medic said that due to your adrenaline rush, it was probably the reason you didn’t feel that much pain from the gash. Your leg had hurt but you weren’t concerned with it; you were concerned with keeping Eugene alive. 

A medic who’s name baffled you. He had been telling you a story and all you thought about was Eugene. Where had he gone to? The other medic had almost disappeared to deal with another soldier who was severely wounded. All you saw was a flash of blood with panicked voices following along. It was tempting to look, but all you could do was look down at your feet that dangled off of the bed. It had been your first day of combat and you had already seen enough. 

A small knock made you look up, revealing Eugene. He saw your leg and walked up. You had claimed you weren’t injured besides your arm, but he had proven you wrong. 

“Hey,” You mumbled softly. 

“Y/n, your leg,” He responded with a kit prepared to treat your leg. He didn’t even need to say, his eyes had already given you a disapproving stare. 

“I know, I know,” You sighed as his hands began to clean the remaining blood, “It’s just a small scratch.” 

“Scratch? You fell outta’ tree and your actin’ like it was nothin’!” 

“I was too worried about not choking or getting killed by a Kraut,” You played with your fingers as Eugene began to softly wrap a bandage around your leg. His large, warm hands were gentle on your ripped leg, “I killed someone…”

Even though he was a Kraut, his face never left your mind. The bruises were a grim reminder of his death. The way he held on and stared at you sent shivers down your spine. Once he finished tying your wound, you pushed yourself up and walked past him. Before you could walk on, Eugene stopped you. You sighed as your eyes darted away; your fingers playing with the cloth of your jacket. 

“He was gonna kill you, y/n. You did the right thing-”

“No I didn’t! I killed a man!” You hushed whispered. “Is that what I am? A killing machine? I know they're bad, but their people as well.” 

Eugene saw your distress. You had been the one person he had been able to confide in for the past two years. Unknown to you, you had been on Eugene’s mind lately. His job was as a medic. He preferred to keep to his own since he refused to deal with his emotions. It was too risque to build friendships. But when y/n had stumbled into his gloomy world, it felt like the clouds had drifted away and a peak of the sun had shined through. Eugene had known there was something off about you for years. The men in easy company were too distracted to see, but you weren’t a man. You were a woman and a strong one with that. 

But each day, Eugene couldn’t contain it. He cared for you. He knew it from the minute he had met you. In Eugene's dreams, his  mémé had said you were a good person. Was y/n a guardian angel his mémé had sent for him? She had you were a true warrior. He was the only one that knew of your true identity. Eugene hadn’t ever met a dame such as y/n. You were a kind person, full of emotion and calm. The best parts of Toccoa were being around y/n. You were a fresh breath of air at Toccoa. Seeing you rise above the ranks made him smile. But the thought of you, his guardian angel, getting hurt made him panic. 

Instead of bringing up death, Eugene placed his hands on your shoulder. Your shaking had stopped as you let out a sign, looking into his big blue eyes. He was going to comfort you in his own way. 

“Remember ‘da lake? You punched me because, y’know,” Eugene said. You looked up and shook your head. The night that Eugene found out. His hand was awkalredy placed on your nude breast as you hid from Sobel. Taking it the wrong way, you threw him back with a mean punch. 

“Listen. You’re not a killing machine, your…” Eugene looked down before looking back at you, “A guardian angel. You’re such a brave wom-man. Man. Not a lot of people could do what you did. You saved me. Thank you…” 

You looked down and blushed, shaking your head. “Eugene, damnit. I did noth-”

“You sacrificed your life for your family and me. You would do it for the whole company. Your kind and brave.” He explained with a firm grasp on your shoulders, “Your a guardian angel, y/n. Remember ‘dat, okay?” 

“Ok, I will.” You smiled back. Eugene patted your shoulders and looked down at your wrapped leg and hand. He had caught the news that Winters had picked you and a few other men to stop a Kraut assault at  Brécourt. He was going to be the sole medic in this death mission. In his opinion, Eugene thought you were not fit for the mission. Not because you couldn't handle killing a few more Krauts (much to your dismay), but that you were injured. But then again, Winters had full trust in Toccoa’s prodigy. 

Eugene and you walked out of the medical center. You ran a hand through your growing hair. It was short on the sides but starting to get long on top. Liebgott had cut your hair before the jump but had done a poor job. He did say he was a barber. Placing the oversized helmet on your head, you tipped it upwards to clearly see. Eugene was on your mind, and so was the “guardian angel” business. Did he believe you were one? The war had been certainly been taking a toll on everyone. 

“Y/n?”

“Hrm?” 

“You sure you can handle this?” 

“The other medic cleared me. I told Winters I could go.” You replied, showing your hand. It was still banaged, but it felt better. Sure it stung, but you could deal with it. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.” 

“Jus’ stay close to me, if you can y/n. Please.” Eugene quietly requested. There he was again, quiet and full of worry. It was so sweet to have someone actually care about you in such a horrible time. 

You and Eugene had a secret language, full of little quirks. All you did was chuckle back and bump into his shoulder. 

_ It was a promise.  _

  



End file.
